Crete Driver Gets 7 Years in Jail
Posted on June 17, 2008
Filed Under HORROR STORIES, HOURS OF SERVICE, IN THE NEWS
Last week, a former driver for Crete Carrier Corp., of Crete, NE was sentenced to 7 years in jail for crashing his tractor-trailer into a car and school bus, killing 7. This wreck occurred on January 25, 2006.
This has been one of the worst truck wrecks in terms of casualties in the past few years. There has been much speculation and rumor about the cause of the crash. It appears somewhat settled now that the driver fell asleep, causing him to rear-end a car at highway speed loaded with children. The driver entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors. As part of that agreement, the driver described to them how he had been awake for 34 hours prior to the accident.
Prosecutors have stated that they are not finished with this case. The implication is that, with the help of the driver, they will attempt to bring actions against the motor carrier, Crete Carrier Corp. This probably won’t happen. Prosecutors always imply that justice will be served before the cameras, but then when their evidence doesn’t take them where they want to go, they quietly drop the case. That will probably happen in this case.
Nevertheless, this incident illustrates why the safety regulations exist. Every safety class I give, I go into my fatigue spiel, and I see eyes roll, and people tune out…. but I’m telling you, driving when you’re sleepy can be worse than driving drunk. You lose control of your truck at highway speeds, and you’ll be lucky to walk away. Of course, if you’re unlucky, and kill somebody else, like this poor guy in handcuffs, you’ll wish you were dead.
I don’t know this driver from Adam, but I would imagine he is just your normal, everyday, good guy truck driver, who used bad judgment, and paid the price. How many of you drivers reading this have done the same thing and gotten away with it? Learn from this guy’s misfortune!
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That is horrible. 7 people (mostly kids with their whol lives still ahead of them) died because this guy fell asleep at the wheel. If you are too tired to drive then go check into a hotel or pull over to the side of the road and park and get some sleep (just be sure and lock your doors as there are creeps out there).